


emulations

by synergies



Series: home [3]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Gen, just some 358/2 based stuff + kh3/post kh3 stuff, my fave part of days was whenever xion let loose on axel?, she's such a snarky lil babe, so i could shove this in and make it plausibly canon but not really, so kh3 spoilers abound!!, thank u days for being vague and skipping over days at a time, while writing this i learned 358 didn't have time magic. wild.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 12:53:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18388811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/synergies/pseuds/synergies
Summary: She mimics, because that is what she is meant to do. There is something to be won and lost in that uniqueness.





	emulations

**Author's Note:**

> The main chunk of this is 358/2 based, but the later part deals with kh3 spoilers / post kh3 content so this is your spoiler warning. Otherwise, just some solid Axel & Xion content, because I love their friendship, and Roxas because you can’t have the trio separate. Also a little bit of Isa near the end.
> 
> The basis of this basically came from me noticing Xion will throw her keyblade like a boomerang during the fight in kh3. While she's probably supposed to be mimicking Saix and throwing isn't exactly a unique fighting style, my mind immediately thought about Axel/Lea's chakrams. Alternatively, I just wanted to write something short and cute. 
> 
> This vaguely? Fits in with the verse of my main kh3 fics, I swear I can write kh3 content that isn't about Xion guys—

### ( like a shadow, but all you can do is echo )

“What are you two doing?” When he realizes his presence has gone unnoticed by the others, Axel has to raise his voice a little to cut in through Roxas and Xion’s chattering; conversation abruptly ending as two heads swivel in his direction, beaming up at him.

“We wanted to try out some stuff with our keyblades.” Roxas explains, Xion swinging her keyblade around behind him in a somewhat exaggerated fashion as if to support what he was saying, further elaborating upon the look the elder gives him. “Well, we were thinking—”

“Were you? That sounds dangerous.” Axel cuts in to quip, earning two pouts in his direction and a swift, “At least we can!” from Xion. Who she has been picking up on that kind of mannerism from, he can only begin to wonder.

“As I was saying,” Roxas begins again. “Everyone in the Organization fights differently, right? We don’t really know where we got our technique from, it just... felt natural? So were wondering if there’s something we were missing out on— anything we could learn from that. Like if we could be able to use the keyblade to fight differently.”

“But we don’t really remember the members that are gone now.” Xion remarks, almost sagely. “So we started making up styles we thought they might fight with instead. Try to figure out how we’d fight against something we didn’t know”

“Despite that, it’s been going good! Xion’s better at mimicking people’s fighting styles better than I am, though.” Roxas seems rather proud of that fact, patting the other on the shoulder— a protest emerges from the girl at his comment, however. The pair is lost in their own argument, bickering over who was doing better; both insistent on the other being more talented, much to his... amusement? Something vaguely akin to that has long since became familiar again, particularly when it came to them.  

Of course, he thinks, no one but these two would take an interest in something like that, a fond— no, not quite fond, Axel is not so ready to admit feeling that kind of emotion yet ( they cannot feel a thing, nobodies like them )— a shake of his head as he glances at them. “Is that so?” He will go along with it, entertain their thoughts for a bit; nothing bad should come of that, even if he doesn’t quite understand them and the thoughts that go through their heads. “Well, I suppose I don’t mind telling you a little bit about the others in that case, although I don’t think you’ll get much out of it.”

“How come?” Roxas asks, Xion nodding her head as if to echo the sentiment.

“For one, you two have keyblades, unlike most people. That already makes the way you two fight special.” Secondly, he’s pretty sure Xion’s ‘deftness’ with this silly thing the two have started is due to the nature of her being ( but it’s not cheating if they don’t know about it, and he is not keen on changing that ). “Also, everyone’s different for a reason. It might be hard for you two to understand that without being able to remember much outside of the Organization, but people generally like being different. Unique, you know? The Organization is no different. We all have different weapons, strengths— different magic, even. It’s not quite going to work out as neatly as you two might think. For example, you wouldn’t remember Zexion, but he used to fight with... a book, and his specialty in magic. Think of Luxord and his cards. It’s not the kind of strategy you two could easily adapt to your fighting style.”

( Well, Xion might. Unintentionally at best though, at worst— he can only imagine what a messy situation that would be ).

They don’t seem to follow his logic; twin looks of confusion in their expressions, so he attempts to explain in terms and an example that is more familiar to them. “Alright, Xigbar then. How do you two think you would replicate his sharpshooting skills? Magic?” He doesn’t wait for any answer, really; Axel has the feeling they wouldn’t know how to answer, since they seemed to have jumped into this on a whim and devolved it into something different than they’d originally thought about. “That might work, to some extent, but even with magic, you wouldn’t be capable of mimicking Demyx’s water clones completely— although he’s the last person the two of you should be taking example from.” His lips briefly twitch upwards in amusement at the thought. “Think about Luxord, how would you two manage to copy his time magic? Do you two get what I’m saying now? You can try all you want, go ahead, but it might be better to stop before you disappoint yourselves. You’re better off being unique, anyways.”

The pair seem genuinely disappointed to hear that— Axel’s not really surprised at the ‘emotion’ that they ‘express’ at this point— a sigh as he tries to think of something that might get his point across better. Cheer them up. Something like that.

( He is not getting soft, he just... doesn’t like the miserable look on their faces. Knowing that he was the reason for it. He was not being weak, he wasn’t )

“I’m not...” He pauses, scowling to himself before he resumes speaking. “I won’t stop you two from trying out some new things if that’s really what you two want to do, although I’m sure Saïx would tell you two that you’re wasting time that could be dedicated to your missions.” And begrudgingly, Axel thinks his... friend might probably have a point, but that doesn’t matter. They’ve never seen eye to eye when it came to these two, anyways. “As long as you two can do your jobs, there’s no reason why you can’t fight however you like.”

They react as expected, as if he had spoken some words of absolute truth, perks right back up; seeming to cling onto every word he says like he is the only one they can trust to tell the truth. They are so naïve, and Axel hates it— hates that he feels like he needs to protect them ( where did such a feeling ever come from? ); shield them from the true harshness of their world, as nobodies.

One day, that illusion will break and he knows it; they will realize the lies that lay in honeyed truths. Yet, is it so wrong for him to continue, even knowing that? It’s selfish indeed, but so what? There’s nothing wrong with that. He has always been a little selfish.

( If it gets the job done, then it is justifiable. Isn’t it?  )

He’s snapped out of his thoughts by Xion tugging on his arm and dragging him over to where she had been standing with Roxas, gazing up at him eagerly. “Watch this!” Enthusiastically, she raises her arm up as she speaks, moving once he indicates that he is paying attention to her.

He watches, arms crossed over his chest as girl lunges towards the target they had been using to practice; observes as her arm moves forward to throw her weapon— keyblade leaves a scorching flame in its wake as it hits the target, and returns to her hand like—

Oh. So that’s the reason they were so enthusiastic to show him. Figures. Those two have always been weirdly sentimental like that, something human-like that he can’t quite grasp anymore. Axel is pretty sure they are rubbing off on him; that is the only logical explanation for the tightness in his chest, the flare of warmth, non-existent heart that he has ( perhaps it is not logical— he has never been a not-person of logic, anyways ), slow smirk spreading across his lips.

Xion looks to him expectantly when she is finished, trotting back over to them like a child— the pair of them are like puppies, honestly, as Roxas joins her in watching him, waiting for him to say something. Those two were going to probably be the end of him, one day. They should consider themselves lucky that he is too entertained by their stunts to consider scolding them; that’s not his style of doing things, anyways.

“Not bad.” He acknowledges, a gentle hand on her shoulder as he turns her to face back towards the target. “Watch,” Axel  says as he summons his chakrams, takes aim and throws to the target with practiced ease. “Do you know what the difference is between the way you and I did that?”

“Besides the keyblade?” She snarks, but pauses to look thoughtful for several moments while she considers his question, before shaking her head. He glances towards Roxas, who he knew had been watching them for his own self-reference, and receives another head shake. He sighs good naturedly, repeating his motions once more before explaining himself.

“Your motions are too stiff. It looks all jerky and forced when you throw it.” Like a puppet on strings, his mind ( unhelpfully ) adds— he ignores that, taking her arm and carefully guiding through a few more motions. “More like that. Just remember to keep your body loose. You’re going to throw something out if you keep trying to attack like that.” Does Xion even have the capacity to hurt to the same extent they did? Could a simple cure potion or elixir help her in a situation like that? He presumes so, given how human-like the replicas are; if his experiences with the Riku Replica are to be any indication ( he will, begrudgingly admit that he is worried her safety ). “And stop showing off with your magic. You’re just going to tire yourself out that way.”

“Uh-huh.” It is rather noncommittal sounding, but sure enough, her next attempt is much less flashy, with his advice in mind— clean, effortlessly, the motions are made and she has a moment where she doesn’t seem like she can believe what she’s done, before smiling at him, radiating happiness.  “Thank you, Axel.”

He averts his gaze and covers his embarrassment by reaching down to ruffle her hair. “Nah, that was all you. You want a go, Roxas?” He looks back over to where the blond has been watching, a moment of silence before he seems to think better of it.

“I’d rather not get shown up. Next time.” Axel can’t complain with that, he’s tired enough with their daily mission that he doesn’t know why these two wanted to get in extra sparing in the first place.

“Come on, then. I think you to have done enough practicing for today.” An easygoing smile spreads across his lips. “I’ll treat you two today, for your extra work.” He hardly has to say the word treat before they’re racing off towards the clocktower, so simple they are ( he is bittersweet, he wishes he could have that mentality still ).

If only it could always be that simple, with them.

* * *

Lea feels a sense of déjà vu, almost—

This is nothing new, he has been feeling this since— Roxas left and he found Sora again, and maybe perhaps before then, too. Some kind of longing has permeated his existence, and while she is around, he cannot help but feel like something’s different. Like he knows Kairi, but not her; that’s complicated, the déjà vu, so he does what he always does and ignores it.

The hooded figure with the keyblade is too lithe to be Roxas, that is one less worry he has; but something stops Lea from feeling like he can raise his weapon against them, so he doesn’t. Won’t. Something like that. There are more worrisome troubles on his hands, he will focus on his old friend instead.

( But a flying keyblade comes through his field of view, and he almost expects to hear a soft voice and an apology follow )

* * *

“Axel!” Lea hears his name being called, an enthusiastically waving hand beckoning him over. He drags himself over to where Xion and Roxas are with an exaggerated groan—can’t seem too enthusiastic, after all. Not that he can really pretend like he doesn’t care, given how emotional he’s been to be with them again.

“And what are you two punks up to today?” Though, by observing the two of them, he can kind of have a guess at what they want him for.

“We’re sparing! We want to see whose improved the most.” He’s pretty sure that Roxas having an extra keyblade might give him some kind of ( unfair ) advantage; but then he remembers the base of Xion’s being and the stunts she’s been pulling lately. He’s not really going to be surprised if she has a few other secrets up her sleeve.

“Uh-huh. Okay. And what do you need me for?” Seriously,  this doesn’t strike him as something that needs his involvement, but he guesses they’re on a completely different page than he is.

“He refuses to get involved.” Roxas gestures to where Isa has been the entire time, apparently. “Just call the winner of the match.”

“That’s easy enough.” He waves them off before walking over to join his friend, gaze focused on the two spar while Lea sits next to him. “You okay?” He speaks lowly, just enough to be heard by the other.

“I would rather not watch them fight.” He winces, he can’t really blame him for that, after all he’s been through; settles to try and be a comforting presence while trying to keep up with what the duo is doing.

They’re pretty evenly matched, though that is not really a surprise. Xion had been meant to match Roxas in her original conception, after all; why would that not hold true, even now. He watches her cycle through different abilities in the same vein that Roxas might chose to swap keyblades— the playing field stays fair for them, regardless.

A brief moment where Lunatic forms in her hands and Xion flinches when Ethereal Blades is summoned in her panic to change; not-Oblivion replaces it quickly as she swings it forward— tosses it at Roxas to force him backwards, for good measure. Lea can tell there’s something off, though; they are clearly trying to do something other than just fight, he knows them and their stunts well enough by now.

What exactly they are up to, however, he could not tell. He stays quiet and just watches since they don’t look they’re going to be done sparing anytime soon ( he’s pretty sure Isa has fallen asleep on his arm, actually; and if he wasn’t supposed to be watching the kids, he would be tempted to do the same ).

It’s brief and he almost misses it,  the flickering formation of a second keyblade in her hand. Imperfect, still weak, barely capable of staying stable for a few minutes before it shatters, but it exists— Lea can tell this is what they had been waiting for without a doubt, because the two of them cease fighting and look excitedly in his direction. He shoots a double thumbs up at them because he can’t do much else without jostling Isa and also because he’s speechless and doesn’t know how else to react, honestly. He doesn’t know how that works but that’s the normal for them, really; they’re not simple at all, but complicated.

Complicated, but happy.

**Author's Note:**

> Anyways I love thinking about Xion's abilites. If Roxas gets two keyblade, she should too just saying—
> 
> The part with Ethereal Blades. Uhm. Well. Do you think grabbing onto them and having your hand burned would be enough for her to be able to replicate it? Just some food for thought.


End file.
